Entries from July 31st, 2008

I went to this new store on Michigan Avenue about mid-May. It had just opened and “XXI” was all over the windows. It looked kind of nice. The prices were cheap. After browsing around for about 20 minutes I realized I was inside Forever 21! Ahh! Sometimes I can find something good at that store, but most of the time nothing fits me right because everything there is, as the name implies, designed for a 21-year-old’s body. I did, however, find a cool necklace and it was only $5.95.

I made this salad for a barbecue a few months ago. Jessica, Jen, Chad and Quinn were over and Dallas was out of town. Everyone said they liked it. On AllRecipes, where I got the recipe, 45 people rated this salad an average of 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a great mix of savory – curry, nuts, bacon, rosemary – with sweet – grapes, pears. Give it a try for something new and different!

Directions:
1. In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast cashews until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove cashews to a dish to cool slightly.

2. Return skillet to medium-high heat, cook bacon strips until crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and soak up grease with a paper towel. Coarsely chop bacon, and set aside.

I had lunch with Greg today at El Tinajon because that’s what I do now. Have lunchwith people. El Tinajon is Roscoe Village’s Guatemalan restaurant and they have really cheap lunch specials ($4.95). If anyone wants to meet up for lunch some time, let me know. Good excuse to get out of the house.

It was nice to catch up with Greg. We always go too far in between seeing each other. Greg used to live on Leavitt near Addison about 5-6 years ago and was saying how different Roscoe Village is now. How many new stores and restaurants there are and how the property values have increased. Well, today I noticed signs for two more new restaurants that are opening on Roscoe Street. I’m especially excited about these two places because they are both places that are already established in Chicago, so hopefully they’ll be good. Plus, they are very, very close to my apartment. I wonder if the signs going up this week have to do with the fact that Roscoe Village’s biggest street fair of the year, Retro On Roscoe, is just days away. Free publicity when everyone comes to visit our neighborhood.

Sweet Thang

Sweet Thang‘s site says they’re opening at 2142 W. Roscoe, but that’s where Kickin’ is. I think they’re actually at 2144 W. Roscoe, which is what Time Out Chicago is reporting, and is the former site of Chicago United Mortgage. Sweet Thang lost their Bucktown/Wicker Park lease and that’s why they’re opening in Roscoe Village. I believe they were located right on North by the six-way with Milwaukee and Damen. Sweet Thang specializes in pastries, but their site says that with the new, larger location they’re offering an expanded menu with a bigger kitchen. In addition to freshly baked cakes, desserts, and pastries, they’ll have an expanded deli menu and coffee bar that will serve sandwiches, salads, and coffee & tea drinks. I’m excited for a new salad and sandwich place. And since Roscoe Village’s only independent coffeehouse, MoJoe’s closed, it will be nice to have a new indie coffee joint (alternative to Starbucks on Roscoe).

Jack’s Place

La Mora has been closed for quite some time. For what it’s worth, we’ve lived in Roscoe Village for 2 years and I’d never been to La Mora. No reason, really. I heard it was ok, but I guess not good enough to make it. So, I was really excited to see what would replace it. John’s Place has been open in Lincoln Park for 14 years and is opening a second location in La Mora’s space at 2132 W Roscoe. Their menu online looks really great so I’m excited to try it out. It seems like La Mora’s been closed a long time. I wish John’s would open already.